Germ Key Door Opener Tools are the Key to Flattening the Curve

Before the coronavirus pandemic, we didn't really call ourselves "essential" workers. And yet: as the coronavirus crisis surges on, I.B.E.W. members are being called upon to keep the country's infrastructure up and running. Some of them are going above and beyond to keep providing for our family. While most of the country is in quarantine, an I.B.E.W. member is focusing on solutions to help fight the spread of germs.

When the NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association) sent out the National Disease Emergency Response Agreement (NDERA), Douglas identified an opportunity to help those in need. As the transmission of the disease crystalized into a looming threat, troubling the minds of Americans, we're forced to look at how life will be different: public surfaces that were once innocuous, like light switches, doorknobs, and ATM pads would suddenly be danger zones.

I.B.E.W. member Douglas went through the five year I.B.E.W. Apprentice program, in addition, becoming a Journeyman welder where he was first exposed to work in metallurgy. Having worked in various industrial work environments, he always had access to machines to custom fabricate much-needed tools to get a job done. "A bottle opener is one of the basic tools when starting out as a custom tool maker". Brother Douglas laughs. As he traveled the country and worked in Texas and it was there he started working with brass as his choice metal for his custom made "ChurchKeys". In the gas and oil fields of West Texas, brass is often used as a non-sparking tool and is also antimicrobial. So it made the perfect material to create a much-needed piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) to help prevent exposure to viruses and other microbes. https://www.nocontactkey.com/about-us/

For Douglas, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is always been part of his daily work life. He has access to machine shops, and an intimate understanding of manufacturing logistics to start mass production. It took a long weekend for the NoContactKey™ to go from an idea to a fully usable germaphobe brass PPE tool. Within days he was able to start supplying essential workers with personal protective equipment by helping them avoid direct physical contact with shared surfaces.

Made from solid brass, the NoContactKey™ is designed to help users open doors and avoid touching shared surfaces. The NoContactKey™ is ideally suited for opening pull-handle doors, bathroom stalls, as well as for pushing down on toilet handles, pressure switches, and opening pull door handles. It functions as a hygiene hand and makes it easier to follow social distancing norms by ensuring that users do not have to come in contact with frequently touched public surfaces.